, 1887-04-06

The first item on the Order of the Day was
Governments Letter of 9Th December
1886, concerning Instructions for the TWO
Public Physicians in St. Croix, appointed
in accordance with the Ordinances of 18th
May 1866 and 9th February 1869.
The letter in question requested the sane
ton Of the Council to the renewal Of the con-
tract with the Poor" physicians for four
years from the LIT Of March 1887. Copies of
the Governments Instructions to the two
public physicians had been distributed to
members.
His Excellency the Governor introduced
the subject. He said that shortly after his
arrival here last year to take up his residence
on the island, a petition signed by SO of the
inhabitants was presented to him, in which it
was stated that two physicians in Christian
sted, which was the number residing here,
were not sufficient: that there had always
been 3 or more, and that in a case of emer-
gency, such as an outbreak of cholera, 3
would be inadequate, and also that if one Of
toe physicians should fall sick the other would
not alone be able to accomplish the work.
To the gentlemen presenting that petition
he had replied that the Colonial Treasury
could not afford to pay more than is nowpaid
for public physicians, and therefore Il a third
physician were required il you'd be necessary
for the inhabitants to subscribe privately
what would be necessary 10 assure subsistence
to such o physician for the first one or two
years. If this were done ne the GOVERNOR
would see whether a youlg man could be in
duced to come out, although he thought that
there was not much ola field. Since then he had
not heard anything from the gentlemen pre-
senting the petition. It had caused him,
however, to look into matters a little, and he
found that no instructions had been drawn I'D
for the public physicians, as was done in
Denmark. He had therefore had a set of
instructions drawn up, and ne thought that if
these were properly carried out the poor would
be sufficiently cared for. In any case, he
would repeat, the Colonial Treasury could
not spend any more money on public physi-
clans.
The renewal of the Contract as above was
agreed to.
In the same meeting Member Broom of
Frederiksted brought forward an interpella-
ton "concerni ng examination Of the sea wor-
thiness of vessels in the inter-insular trade"
Mr.. Broom said the immediate cause of his
addressing this n terPellotion&o the Government
was, the loss of the schooner E3treL, which,
as was we'll known, left Erederiksted for
Christiansted some time since and was never
heard of again. 1t was we'll known that the
vessel was in u bad condition. This was one
case among several which had occurred during
the last % yaarc. There vas the Santa CraS. the
ROSGlimd. ard ofkto the Petrol, besides others.
He had Thought shat re was the first to call
attention to this matter; but within the last
few hours he had found that the same
question had been asked by an honorable
member Faber) twenty years ago. The an
swe ct Governor Birch on that occasion was
that the Supervision of these schooners was
the duty Of the Police. He Brown was not
of that opinion. He thought that the govern
ment should take up the matter and provide
by legislation for or inspection of the
schooners, just as it had provided for the in.
spection Of steam boilers. He thought that
there was & natter in which the Police could
interfere, T1meE that they could prevent lit
tie boys being taken 20 sea to work these
schooners, instead Of strong men capable of
meeting an emergency. What he would sug.
gest was that q yearly inspection should be
made by competent persons, who should of
course be paidfor their services, and the charge
should fall on the owners. lie did not think
they would be unwilling to pay it, as it would
be for their own interest and would protect
those who kept their vessels in order from the
competition of worthless vessels.
The Governor replied that a commission
could not be appointed to inspect the schoon-
~ avoo0 ,rn1ar on nr1;1o~oa T0 al